The Band
For RAMEKEGA [pronounced: RAH'-me-KAY'-gah] – made up of sisters, KELLI (Rhythm guitar, Lead vocals), GABRIELLE (Drums, vocals), and KAIRA (Bass, vocals) – it has always been about the songs. Whenever they are asked why their original music doesn’t stick to one genre, they answer, “Why should it?” As unusual as it may seem in the current culture, where artists make a name for themselves in one genre before possibly branching out to others, the band seeks to create a lasting legacy with their body of work. Their musical style presents a smorgasbord ranging from pop, rock, indie, jazz, ballads, to retro, and blues, and whatever else ‘just sounds right for the song”. It’s in the combination of “a quantity of quality songs” (Jeff Swannigan, drummer for Bebe & Cece Wynans), and their dynamic performance onstage, that their audience finds an unforgettable experience like none other.
According to one concert-goer, “they really do sound like a radio station is playing! But only the good stuff…their songs sound like standards, and they’re very ‘coverable’.” (Jimi Yamagishi, SongNet producer). And ever since their conception in 2007 (with the bassist joining in 2013-present), RAMEKEGA has continued to garner similar accolades and a staying reputation amongst their fans – in and out of the music industry – for their hard work, their eclectic style of music, the plethora of their unique-sounding original material, and their live performances. So much so, that everywhere they showed up - whether it was a festival, a television or radio show, or any of the numerous other music venues they have performed in all along the West Coast – they were invited back (like the Roxy did for three times), or were asked to do a residency (like a venue in Washington did, not knowing the band wasn’t local!).
The group already has three full-length albums under their belt – all self-produced, and mixed and mastered to encapsulate what many in the recording industry call that ‘phat’ sound. They’ve gotten radio airplay locally, and internationally in the UK and Australia; and have even appeared and performed on local and national television: Time Warner Cable’s “Yourself Presents”; LA18 TV; and AXS Live – along with the Hansons, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Art Alexakis (of Everclear). And while only the first two (Me and My Shadow, Normalcy) have been digitally released in 19 online stores – even being classified as “LIVE” on iTunes – the hard copies of all three albums consistently sell out, with the first two being downloaded from all corners of the globe by people of all ages and of many different cultures.
Now, when you first hear RAMEKEGA play, you might respond with, “Wow, I didn’t expect THAT! I’ve never heard anything like it. I can still hum it!” (Jeff Hanson, lawyer for Van Halen), “They have so many great songs, they sound like the Beatles!” (John Cartwright, producer and bassist for Harry Belafonte), or “Their songwriting is very deep, fun, and profound” (Ric Taylor, 2014 winner of the ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award for songwriting). Whatever sentiment you express, one thing is for sure: You will not forget the first time you saw them. Of the band’s live show, Patrick O’Heffernan in Music Connection Magazine’s July 2019 issue, said, “Ramekega’s performance at the State Social House demonstrated that this trio has what it takes to keep an audience engaged and feeling good.”